KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) has called for the government to enforce a limit on the quantity of essential items one person can purchase during the restricted movement period to ensure sufficient supplies for all.
PH, in a statement issued by their Secretariat Council, pointed out the possibility of prolonged panic-buying which could in turn fuel attempts by profiteers looking to take advantage of the shutdown period.
“Pakatan Harapan is of the view that in the current situation, it would be a sensible move for the government to consider limiting the purchase of essential items in supermarkets and the likes to ensure the quantity is sufficient for all those in need.
“Supermarkets can impose a purchasing limit, like how it was done during the cheap sales campaigns which also limited the sale of certain products,” read the statement.
PH said another option for the government would be for them enforce the purchasing limit by invoking the powers of the Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, under the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
The Opposition coalition further urged the government to seriously consider the suggestion and to not waste time in implementing and enforcing the limit on the purchases of essential items.
“To ensure food safety for all citizens, especially during this time of the controlled movement period,” read the statement.
This comes on the first of a 14-day nationwide partial shutdown, as the country works to contain an outbreak of the Covid-19 coronavirus.
Panic buying took place in supermarkets and hypermarkets across the country days before the movement control order was announced, with shelves wiped clean by anxious shoppers in anticipation of full curfew.
Yesterday Malaysia recorded its first two deaths due to the Covid-19 coronavirus, two men aged 60 and 34, from Kuching, Sarawak and the capital respectively.
To date, a total of 673 positive Covid-19 cases have been recorded locally.
